So really, our universe probably has more than 17,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 planets in all.

In other words, Earth represents 0.00000000000000000000588 % of all planets in the universe!

2. The Universe is #%@! huge

Source: NASA

Given that there’s a ridiculous number of planets in the universe, space must be pretty big, right?

Well, “big” is quite an understatement.

Numerically speaking, the Earth is about 268,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 miles from the edge of the observable universe. Traveling to the edge of the universe is like shrinking yourself down to the size of a cell, and then traveling to the Andromeda galaxy (our neighbor) in a tiny cell-sized spaceship.

However, the edge of the observable universe is by no means the real edge of the Universe. It’s called the observable universe for a reason. Any light that exists beyond the observable universe has not had enough time to reach us since the universe was born 14 billion years ago. Therefore, we are unable to see it.

3. Everything is rotating, and rotating FAST.

Right now, you and the rest of our planet are rotating around the Earth’s axis at just under 1,000 mph. Of course, the Earth itself also rotates around the Sun, clocking in at a speed of about 66,000 mph.

What you may not know however, is that like the Earth around the Sun, our solar system is also rotating about the center of the Milky Way. This happens at around 490,000 mph.

4. The Milky Way is on a crash course with its neighbor, the Andromeda Galaxy

Source: NASA

Speaking of galaxies…

Right now, the Andromeda galaxy is careening towards us at 68 miles per second, destined for collision with the Milky Way. But don’t worry, any such collision won’t occur in our lifetime. Current estimates are saying we have around 4 billion years to prepare for it. That’s enough time for humans to evolve from apes again about 500 more times.

Hopefully, we’ll be watching this collision from somewhere other than planet Earth!

5. If you ever traveled into a black hole (and survived the trip), you would never be able to tell anyone what happened

Source: NASA

Okay, enough about how small and insignificant we are. This last one is purely about bending your mind.

For those who don’t know, black holes are spherical regions of space with a gravitation pull so strong, that nothing can escape from it. Not even light. The boundary for this “sphere of inescapability” is known as the event horizon. Once you cross the event horizon, there is no chance of return.

Black holes can have some pretty trippy effects. First of all, if you were to watch your friend slowly descend towards a black hole, you would never see them cross the event horizon. To a distant observer like you, time appears to infinitely slow down for your doomed friend so that it forever looks like they’re about to cross the horizon, but never do. In addition, your doomed friend would never visually experience crossing the event horizon either. To them, the black hole will forever look like it’s just below them. That is, until they reach the center of the black hole and the tidal forces tear them apart.

At least that’s what the laws of physics dictate would happen.

If you were ever to fall into a black hole, you’d never be able to tell anyone what actually happened. See, nothing can travel faster than light, and since even light cannot escape a black hole, any information you send back to base camp about your experience in the black hole will never actually get there. So we will never know what truly happens when you fall into a black hole.